Author Archives: Erica

PICRAT Model for Teaching with Technology

PICRAT Model for Effective Technology Integration in Teaching

While discussing the viability of a one-to-one device program in classrooms, a classmate shared a video that was helpful for effective technology integration in the classroom.

This video gives a brief overview of the PICRAT model for effective technology integration. Building off of the RAT model created by Hughes, Thomas, & Scharber (2006), PICRAT guides teachers in asking two fundamental questions related to technology and teaching:

1. How is using the technology influencing my practice?

2. What are my students doing in or through the technology?

By answering these questions, teachers can consider more effective ways of using technology to support their students’ learning.

Students’ Relationship to Technology

Passive – Students are relatively inactive receivers of information.

Interactive – Students receive information and have some means of responding to it. Through manipulation of information, they can begin to scaffold the information into existing knowledge.

Creative – Students are creating learning products that represent a significant synthesis of new information.

Teacher’s Use of Technology

Replaces – The lesson technology simply serves as a layer of convenience or cosmetic improvement, but does not fundamentally change the nature of the lesson.

Amplifies – Technology adds elements to the lesson not easily achieved with traditional classroom methods.

Transforms – In the absence of the technology, the lesson would be impossible to present to students. It is intimately integrated into the experience of the lesson.

Reference:

Royce Kimmons. (2016, April 26). PICRAT for Effective Technology Integration in Teaching [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/bfvuG620Bto

Mental Health Supports for UBC Students

Mental Health Supports for UBC Students

I recently completed a UBC Student Mental Health survey that was created by Dr. Daniel Vigo in the Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine at UBC.

The goal of the survey is to help better understand the challenges UBC students are facing, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic. UBC is hoping to build a better mental health system for students. The data that’s being collected will help guide the direction of designing online tools to improve services to students.

Emotional wellbeing is important for all people, including those who are on their post-secondary educational journey.

Resources

There are a number of supports available for students who are seeking mental health supports.

BC Mental Health Support Line: 310-6789 (available 24/7: do not add 604, 778 or 250 before the number)

Crisis Centre BC

If you or someone you know is feeling hopeless or thinking about suicide, call or chat online with a crisis responder: 1-800-784-2433 (1-800-SUICIDE) 24hs; or crisiscentrechat.ca (noon to 1 am)

First Nations and Inuit Helpline: 1-855-242-3310 (available 24/7)

Here2Talk

Provides counselling and community referral services to students registered at B.C. post-secondary institutions. Support is available 24/7 via app, phone and web. Call 604-642-5212 or visit here2talk.ca

Mindhealth BC

Provides online assessment and recommendations regarding the most appropriate level of support. Visit http://www.mindhealthbc.ca/

Support for Managing Stress

If you are experiencing stress for any reason or if responding to the survey questions has added to your stress, please consider the information and resources available for UBC students on the following site (some of which are also highlighted in the list below):

https://students.ubc.ca/health/health-topics/understanding-stress

UBC Student Health Services, your family physician, or a local medical clinic

A medical professional should be the first step for people requiring medication. To book an initial mental health appointment with UBC Student Health Services call 604-822-7011. Hours can be found at: https://students.ubc.ca/health/student-health-service

UBC Counselling Services

Provides assessment, wellness planning and referral to the most appropriate level of support as well as drop-in counselling. Call 604-822-3811 to book a phone or video appointment. Hours can be found at: https://students.ubc.ca/health/counselling-services

UBC Student Assistance Program (SAP)

Provides personal counselling and life coaching, free for UBC students. Services are provided after hours and weekends, in multiple languages, online, on the app, or by phone. Call free 1-833-590-1328 in North America. Call collect 1-604-757-9734 outside North America. Log in to the Aspiria website by using UBCV for both the student code and password.

Vancouver Coastal Regional Distress Line: 604-872-3311 (available 24/7)

Visual Mind Mapping

Visual Mind Mapping

Concept mapping, or mind mapping, is one of my favourite ways to organize myself with any project. It allows me to see relationships and connections among my topics that I wasn’t able to notice when just thinking about things or writing them in paragraph or point form. Mind mapping helps to translate my ideas into manageable topics.

WHAT IS A MIND MAP?

Mind maps are visual diagrams used to organize information. They help organize or explain information. They use different visual elements (such as lines, spacing and order) to illustrate hierarchy and relationships.

According to the video titled, “Concept Mapping for Developing Your Research” from the Belk Library (2013), a mind map:

  • is a visual way of analyzing your topic.

  • is a good starting point when you begin your research.

  • can help you graphically represent and organize ideas and show how they are related to each other.

  • will help you translate your ideas into a manageable topic and generate questions to focus on in your research.

  • will give you the search terms to pursue your research question.

WHY USE A MIND MAP?

Research and planning is a creative process. It involves both taking things apart and then putting them back together. You take things apart to analyze them, then put things back together to synthesize the information.

A concept map can help you…

  • organize ideas and define a topic

  • develop keywords and synonyms

  • reveal patterns & themes between ideas

  • generate search terms for your research

Mind Mapping Software

I usually start with good ol’ pen and paper to begin my mind-mapping process. Once I have my brainstorming written down, I use software to continue my analysis and then to the final mindmap.

There are many software tools available to help with your mind mapping. My favourite tool is XMIND which has a free version available for both Mac and iOS. I can access my files at home or on the go. Other popular mind-mapping tools include Mindmeister, Mind42, Coggle, and Bubble.us.

Creating Your Mind Map

Put your main topic in the middle, then add your sub-topics from your main topic. You can add examples extended out from your sub-topics.

You may not need all the information that you write down. You can easily see relationships between the concepts and move your ideas around, add to them, or delete them as needed. You can see how the pieces all fit together and if you’re missing anything. You can further explore the dependencies between each of them. These connections may change over time and you can easily move your ideas around using the mind-mapping software listed above.

Source: Belk Library. (2013, January 11). Concept Mapping for Developing Your Research [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v_8rNiW4A9A

POPULAR MIND MAPPING TOOLS

Mindmeister: https://www.mindmeister.com/

Mind42: https://mind42.com/

Coggle: https://coggle.it/

Bubble.us: https://bubbl.us/

Xmind: https://xmind.app/

FURTHER RESOURCES

UBC Resources for Mind Mapping Tools: https://lddi.educ.ubc.ca/mind-mapping-tools/

UBC Concept Mapping Resources: https://wiki.ubc.ca/Concept_Mapping_Resources

UBC Mind Mapping Resources: https://wiki.ubc.ca/Mind_Mapping_Resources

Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Concept_map

VIDEOS ON HOW TO MIND MAP

Belk Library. (2013, January 11). Concept Mapping for Developing your Research [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v_8rNiW4A9A

U of G Library. (2017, April 27). How to Create a Concept Map [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sZJj6DwCqSU

EdTech Tools for the Classroom

EdTech Tools to Make Teachers’ Lives Easier

During our ETEC 512 Online Learning Conference, many different educational software programs were used by our classmates. This is by no means an exhaustive list, but I thought I’d put them in one spot for future reference for myself and to share with others.

Here are some of the programs that were used for the ETEC 512 Online Learning Conference projects:

Animaker

Animaker is an online do-it-yourself (#DIY) animation video maker that brings studio quality presentations within everyone’s reach.

Bard (AI)

Meet Bard: your creative and helpful collaborator, here to supercharge your imagination, boost your productivity, and bring your ideas to life.

Blooklet

Blooket is an exciting new take on the modern classroom review game. It aims to match action with education to create the ultimate learning experience!

Canva

Canva is a free-to-use online graphic design tool. Use it to create social media posts, presentations, posters, videos, logos, websites, and more.

ChaptGPT

ChatGPT is an AI-powered language model developed by OpenAI, capable of generating human-like text based on context and past conversations.

Class Craft

Combine the power of gamification with a variety of easy-to-use classroom management tools to make for happier, more engaged students.

ClassDojo

Build wonderful classroom communities with parents and students. ClassDojo helps teachers and families collaborate to support social-emotional learning.

Duolingo

With our free mobile app or web and a few minutes a day, everyone can Duolingo. Learn 30+ languages online with bite-size lessons based on science.

EdPuzzle

Easily create beautiful interactive video lessons for your students you can integrate right into your LMS.

FlipGrid

Flip is a free app from Microsoft where educators create safe, online groups for students to express their ideas asynchronously in short video, text, and audio messages.

Genially

Create presentations, infographics and other stunning content by yourself or with your team.

Gimkit

Engaging, easy-to-use tools that help reshape education for teachers and students. Gimkit is a classroom game-show platform where students compete by answering questions on their electronic devices. Instead of earning points, students earn virtual currency, which they can “invest” during the game to boost their score.

H5P

H5P makes it easy to create, share and reuse HTML5 content and applications. H5P empowers everyone to create rich and interactive web experiences.

Khan Academy

Learn for free about math, art, computer programming, economics, physics, chemistry, biology, medicine, finance, history, and more.

Meme Generator

Insanely fast, mobile-friendly meme generator. Caption memes or upload your own images to make custom memes.

Nearpod

Real-time insights into student understanding through interactive lessons, interactive videos, gamification, and activities — all in a single platform.

Padlet

Make beautiful boards to collect, organize, and present anything. Used by over 30 million people worldwide. Get started for free.

Scratch

Create stories, games, and animations. Share with others around the world. Scratch is the world’s largest free coding community for kids.

Socrative

Your classroom app for fun, effective engagement and on-the-fly assessments.

What other EdTech tools to you use in your classroom?

Indigenous Resources for Canadians

Indigenous Resources for Canadians

Here is a list of resources that may be helpful on your truth and reconciliation journey. This list will be updated regularly with new resources.

WEBSITES

ETEC 511 T&R

ETEC 511 – Truth and Reconciliation Assignment

1. Identify a significant corpus (body of texts, or singular text) of searchable educational history-related documents in your own locale or one you are most interested in (i.e. B.C., Ontario, South Africa). You can choose a fictionalized account, non-fiction narrative, historical text, a set of related documents, a report, etc. Briefly explain why you selected this as ‘raw material’ to search for how Indigeneity and Indigenous people are represented in texts that make up our knowledge about and understanding of the history of education in the locale you chose. Explain how this text might have impacted either educational history or Teacher Professional Development.

This assignment led me on a Truth and Reconciliation journey that is, and will continue to be, important for me to continue long after this assignment is complete.

For this assignment, I originally intended on choosing The Indian Act of 1876. I thought it was a good opportunity for me to read the original piece of legislation passed to control First Nations people. The Indian Act is still in effect today, so I became curious to learn more about the amendments made over the years, hoping that I could educate myself on the root of the Canadian government and Indigenous Peoples’ conflicts. This led me on a journey to learn more about the history of the Residential Schools and I became more and more enraged at how adults chose to treat the children who attended these schools.

As I read through information about The Indian Act of 1867, it became clear to me how little I knew about the oppression of Canada’s Indigenous People. After reading through information about The Indian Act, listening to videos from Indigenous voices regarding the Act, and the revisions it has gone through over the years, I learned a small part of what the Canadian Government has done in the past and realized there is so much more for me to learn. This had me continue wanting more information about the present day and how we are where we are now. I wanted to hear from the people who this affects.

As a former school teacher, I am drawn to learning as much as I can about the Residential Schools and the history of how something so horrific could have happened to so many young children. The scale of the abuse is horrendous. Furthermore, the abuse did not happen in one location, it was nationwide.

I continued learning about the Residential Schools and became curious about how UBC is decolonizing and how they, as an educational institution, are honouring their Truth and Reconciliation process. I read through the Truth and Reconciliation information on the Faculty of Education’s website and found a report entitled “What We Have Learned:  Principles of Truth and Reconciliation”. The report reflects on the Truth and Reconciliation process written by The Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada in 2015, by authors Justice Murray Sinclair, Chief Wilton Littlechild, and Dr. Marie Wilson. The report calls on all Canadians to commit to reconciliation and they define reconciliation as well as provide a set of principles that provided the foundation for the 94 calls to action in the final report from the TRC.

I chose this text because it is an example of a recent report that describes how horribly First Nations children and their families were treated by the Canadian government, focusing on the abusive treatment in the Residential Schools. Thanks to a few brave people who spoke up about their experience in Residential Schools. This allowed others to come forward and share their experiences in the Residential Schools and brought their truth to light.

2. Identify a specific question you want to answer by selecting and searching this text. What is your search intended (or hoping) to illuminate?

I am hoping that my search educates me about the reality of the lived experiences of the children who attended the Residential Schools. The specific question I want to answer by selecting and searching this text is, “What have we learned about the experience of First Nations children since The Indian Act of 1876 was created and how are these learnings shaping future legislation in Canada?”

3. Identify and explain the search terms you will use.

The search terms I will use for the first part of this assignment are Indian(s), Indigenous, Aboriginal, First Nation(s), and Native(s). “Indian” references the legal identity of a First Nations person who is registered under the Indian Act. Indigenous included a variety of Aboriginal groups. Aboriginal people include First Nations, inuit, and Metis people, who are the first people who occupied Canada. First Nations is the ethnicity of people who are Aboriginal but not Metis or Inuit. Included the plural variations of the words Indian and Native to the search would include Indians and First Nations. I excluded the lowercase variation of “native” as that did not refer to specific Aboriginal ethnicity, rather referred to a person or thing from a specific place.

Here is a summary of the terms used in my first inquiry and how many times they appeared in the document:

Indian / Indians = 773

Indigenous = 74

Aboriginal = 452

First Nation / First Nations = 126

Native(s) = 43 / 8

4. Create a new question, and any additional search term/terms you think might be illuminating.

In researching Canada’s history and the roots of the Indian Act, I began to get a better picture about how the Canadian government is moving towards reconciliation. My new question that arose from this assignment was “If the Indian Act is so archaic and discriminatory and based in cultural genocide of the Indigenous Peoples, why can’t we just abolish the Act and allow Indigenous people to no longer be governed by it?

It is clear that the Indian Act, and more specifically residential schools, were created to create cultural genocide. So why then can’t we make things right by removing these oppressive laws? Why is giving self-governance, self-reliance, and self-determination to Indigenous Peoples so difficult and complicated?

5. Search and document what you find.

I’ve learned that completely removing the Indian Act would do a huge disservice to Indigenous Peoples.

There would need to be a transition period to allow for autonomous, self-governed living by Indigenous Peoples. This would create a “policy vacuum” (TVO Today, 2021). Where would the right to self-govern and be a self-reliant society fit in?

The term “residential schools” was referred to 481 times, specifically to the children’s experiences and abuses at the school. The words “Indian child” were referred to 13 times. This implied the children were “othered” in schools, telling the children that they needed to be more like the white people running the schools. Abuse was referred to 86 times, including references to sexual and physical abuse. Trauma and its various forms were referenced 13 times, mostly speaking about the children’s experiences or intergenerational trauma that these schools have caused. Genocide was referenced 9 times, mostly referring to cultural genocide.

Here is a summary of the terms used for my second inquiry and how many times they appeared in the document:

Residential Schools = 481

Indian child = 13

Abuse (including sexual and physical abuse) = 86

Trauma / Traumatizing / Traumatic / Traumatized = 13

Genocide = 9

6. Report the results (and limitations) of your search and your analysis of those results.

This report speaks from the perspectives of the Aboriginal Peoples of Canada. Their voices are represented through telling their community’s stories about what we have learned through the Truth and Reconciliation process that is currently going on in Canada. They speak about the trauma that has been experienced by children and families who attended residential schools. The government is referenced and referred to through the experience of the Aboriginal experience.  The document took a look at the trauma the government inflicted in the past so that we can use this information to guide us to make things right for Indigenous Peoples in the future. The limitations of my search included stories from the voices that chose to come forward. Not all residential school survivors and family members chose to share their stories,  or that they were not able to live to tell their story.

It is through education in the residential schools that Aboriginal people lost their culture, language, traditions, and ways of life. It is through education that all of us can learn about the harms of the residential schools and the truth and reconciliation process. Through education, I am hopeful that Canadians and our government can restore the damage that was done.

—

References

National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation. (2019, Feb 7). TRC Mini Documentary – Senator Murray Sinclair on Reconciliation [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wjx2zDvyzsU

The Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada. (2015). What We Have Learned Principles of Truth and Reconciliation.  https://ehprnh2mwo3.exactdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Principles_English_Web.pdf

TVO Today. (2021, July 6). What Should Been Done About the Indian Act? | The Agenda [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ns5Cgn1pREE

University of British Columbia. (2023). Truth and Reconciliation 2023. Faculty of Education. https://educ.ubc.ca/truth-and-reconciliation-2023/

ETEC 511 - Mini-assignment - Usability

ETEC 511 – Module 1: Thinking about Usability (Mini-Assignment)

Instructions: For each of Issa and Isaias’s (2015) seven “Usability Criteria” (p. 33), explain each criterion in your own words and provide a concrete/practical example of each. Draw from your own experience and try to find educational examples where you can.

1. Learnability

Describe in your own words:
How easy is it to learn the product? Is it intuitive, quick, and easy to learn? Are there clear instructions or feedback? Is the information broken down into small, learnable chunks? If errors are made, is there useful and timely feedback on how to correct it? How is the feedback given? Is the interface consistent?

Provide a concrete/practical example:
Well designed apps have tutorials for new users to complete before they are shown the full program.

2. Flexibility

Describe in your own words:
Users have diverse backgrounds, preferences, and abilities. Usability includes an inclusive, user-friendly, and adaptable environment that adjusts to the diverse needs and preferences of the target user. Can you customize the interface, settings, or features according to your needs or preferences (ie: colours, fonts, layouts, etc.)? Can it adapt to different skill levels (ie: novice to advanced)? Can users interact in different ways with different modalities (ie: touch, voice commands, or keyboard inputs)? Can it accommodate users with different abilities or disabilities? Can the user do the task in multiple ways? Can it adapt to different devices or screen sizes? Is it a consistent and user-friendly experience across different platforms? Can it be personalized based on preferences? Is it accessible to users with disabilities (ie: screen readers for visually impaired)

Provide a concrete/practical example:
Software programs like Photoshop and Illustrator allow users to customize their windows and how the interface is displayed.

3. Robustness

Describe in your own words:
Can the program remain stable? Can it handle errors or failures? Does it crash? Is it secure? Is it compatible with various platforms? Does it have regular backups? Has it been stress tested? Is there data validation? Have there been quality assurance testing?

Provide a concrete/practical example:
If an app crashes too many times, I will go and find another product to use.

4. Efficiency

Describe in your own words:
Can the user perform tasks and achieve their goals in a timely manner? Can it take minimal effort, time, and cognitive load to complete the tasks? Is it positive, streamlined, and efficient? Does it respond to user input in a timely way? Is it logically organized? Is cognitive load minimized? Is it intuitive to navigate? Are things properly labeled? Is the design consistent and predictable? Are there keyboard shortcuts available? Any other time saving features? Is feedback timely and helpful? Is there search functionality? Is load time minimized?

Provide a concrete/practical example:
It took me time to learn Canvas with my UBC courses, but once I learned it for my first class, subsequent classes were much easier to navigate.

5. Memorability

Describe in your own words:
Can users remember how to use the interface after learning it or being away from it for a period of time? Do users have to relearn the interface verytime? Is it intuitive and what users naturally anticipate? Is it consistent? Are there clear icons and labels? Does the navigation make sense? Is there cueing, feedback, or guidance? Is there documentation or help? Is there training? Is it visually memorable? Is there reinforcement?

Provide a concrete/practical example:
Applications such as Photoshop and Illustrator have generally stayed the same over the years, with a few changes. It makes it easy for me to keep using them as they are memorable to me.

6. Errors

Describe in your own words:
Are there minimal errors in the program? How are they addressed? Are the errors easy to understand? Is the error from the user’s interaction or the program? Does a consistent interface help reduce errors? Does the error guide how the user can correct? Can the user recover from the errors and continue with their task? Can the user undo errors without significant consequences? Are the error messages clear and concise? Can training help reduce errors? Can accessibility features help reduce errors?

Provide a concrete/practical example:
Errors in an application sometimes display the user code error or a number which is frustrating – the errors should be in plain language so the user can understand them.

7. Satisfaction

Describe in your own words:
Is the overall satisfaction positive or negative? Does the user have a strong emotional response when interacting with a system, product, or interface? Does the user enjoy engaging with the technology? Satisfied users are more likely to continue using a system, recommend it to others, and have a generally positive attitude toward the technology. How is the user experience? How is the system’s usability? Is the product aesthetically pleasing? Is there useful and timely feedback? What are the user’s perceptions of the product? Does it help achieve the user’s goals?

Provide a concrete/practical example:
User feedback forms, user testing, or focus groups can be arranged for users to give feedback and see how satisfied they are with the program.

ETEC 511 - IP #1 - Usability

ETEC 511 – IP #1 – Algorithms

  • This is the first of five intellectual productions (IPs) for this course. IPs are completed individually and worth 30% of our final grade. I chose to complete this assignment in writing form to answer the four questions provided for us. Maybe in the future I will do something more creative with the IPs but thought I’d play it safe for the initial one. Proper APA formatting would have page numbers, a title page, the first line of the paragraphs indented, and hanging indents on the references. I did not meet those APA requirements due to the constraints of this website.

  • This IP asks you to:

    1. Formulate a conception of usability (based on the Issa and Isaias (2015) chapter on HCI and Usability). Use what you’ve learned about usability from that chapter—but you are not summarizing or repeating their ideas. Rather, you are setting out the idea of ‘usability’ you have put together from reading that chapter. Do NOT overly rely on quotes. And remember to use proper citation practices. If you are using text that is not your own, quote and cite it, including page numbers.

    2. Then, think about what is missing from this conception, from a specifically educational perspective, and on that basis try and patch together a reasonably grounded and defensible conception of educational usability.

    3. Revisit Woolgar’s (challenging but rewarding!) account of “usability gone wrong,” which demonstrates several ways a usability study ended up configuring ‘users,’ thereby undermining the usefulness of usability. Identify and discuss 2 of Woolgar’s examples.

    4. Finally, discuss the two excerpts quoted at the top of this IP, that have been drawn from your readings for this unit, and discuss differences you see in these 2 positions on the uses of usability.

    HINT: Before you begin (and probably a few times while you are working on this) look up what “configuring” means, especially in the context of computer science. The purpose of the question is to help you to see, understand, and be able to explain how users are configured in the usability trials Woolgar observed. Elucidating and explaining user configuration in usability trials is necessary in order to understand Woolgar’s article and, therefore, in completing this task.

IP #1: Users, Uses and Usability

1. Conception of usability

Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) focuses on the interaction between humans and computers. Usability is one aspect of HCI which is about making something easy to use to meet the needs of the intended user. Good usability means a user can use the product to achieve their goals efficiently.

Usability can refer to everyday objects such as a door handle and it can be used to refer to technology products. Product developers should aim to achieve good usability and can achieve this by following seven usability principles outlined by Issa and Isaias (2015, p. 33): learnability, flexibility, robustness, efficiency, memorability, errors, and satisfaction. Since developers and users have different understandings of each other, usability works best when the product is configured to the user like Issa and Isaias (2015) suggest, not the user being configured to the product, as illustrated in the Woolgar (1990) reading.

ETEC 511 - IP1 - Usability - HCI - Human-Computer Interaction

2. What is missing from this conception of usability?

Missing from this conception of usability is examining usability from an educational perspective, namely that all learners have different abilities and learning contexts.

Usability and educational usability would mostly overlap with six of the usability principles. We would critique usability (learnability), free from crashing (robustness), if the user can achieve their goals in a timely manner (efficiency), easy to remember what you were doing (memorability), have meaningful feedback when errors are made (errors), and if the user’s needs were fulfilled when using the product (satisfaction).

The principle that would look different for educational usability would be flexibility. Since each learner has different abilities, experiences, goals, and needs, what works for one student may not work for others. For example, a screen reader works great for those with visual impairments, yet is useless for someone with a hearing impairment. Educational usability describes products designed for learning where each product has its own specific learning outcomes. For learning to take place, educational usability needs to be motivating, engaging, and inclusive to all students with various abilities.

Usability and educational usability could be juxtaposed with each other since usability is about completing a task without frustration and educational usability, in some cases, can take time and can be frustrating as the learner is challenged to extend their knowledge.

When looking at usability and educational usability, we need to consider the outcomes and the affordances of the technology. Is the user engaging with the technology to complete a task for training a skill or memorization, or is the user engaging with the technology for education to develop higher-order thinking skills such as problem-solving, evaluating, or synthesizing? In addition, learning is not always directly observable or measurable so the usability of educational products could be challenging to measure as what works for one student may not work for another.

3. Usability gone wrong

Woolgar (1990) is an example of poor usability. First, the people conducting the study thought they could configure the user by having them follow instructions and manuals to complete the tasks instead of letting them be self-directed to explore and learn. The users were given prompts, hints, comments, or redirected which undermines the usability process that would happen in the natural world. If these users were learning the machines for the first time, they would most likely not have someone guiding them through this process.

Second, the selection criteria for the usability testers was poor. They wanted to find subjects “who are most likely to act as users” (Woolgar, 1990, p. 75) for the trials, which is a common problem for user testing; however, the subjects selected probably were not “true novices” (Woolgar, 1990, p. 70) since they were already familiar with the product and it would be difficult to act as an outsider.

4. Positions on the uses of usability

The first excerpt from Issa and Isaias (2015, p. 29) places the user at the centre of usability. The product developer changes the product based on the needs of the user. Issa and Isaias (2015) advocate for a user-centred approach that would translate to a learner-centred approach if referring to educational usability.

The second excerpt from Woolgar (1990, p. 59), the product is the centre of usability. The product developer believes they can configure the user to interact with the product in a prescribed way. Woolgar (1990) believes the user should adapt to the machine.

The primary difference between the two positions on usability is the perception of the user’s role. If we return to the definition of usability, usability is about meeting the needs of the user. Issa and Isaias (2015) consider the users’ perspective when developing effective tools, contrasted with Woolgar’s (1990) perspective of developing the tools first, then having the users constrained by boundaries placed on them.

References

Issa, T., & Isaias, P. (2015). Usability and human computer interaction (HCI). In Sustainable Design (pp. 19-35). Springer.

Woolgar, S. (1990). Configuring the user: The case of usability trials. The Sociological Review, 38(1, Suppl.), S58-S99.

ETEC 511 - IP #4 - Artificial Intelligence (AI)

ETEC 511 – IP #2 – Artificial Intelligence

Disclaimer: Due to the technology limitations of this blog post, I was unable to create a chart to compare the answers to the questions and my references are not using true APA formatting, as they lack hanging indents.

1. First and in your own words: Who were these people, and how did/does each contribute to the development of artificial intelligence? How did/does each think “intelligence” could be identified? (~50 words each). Next, using the new AI ChatGPT. ask it the same question, and you can edit to get it down to 50 words. Create a chart to show your work and ChatGBT side by side. Do the same with questions 2-4 (and do make sure in YOUR answers you reference the readings!).

Alan Matheson Turing (1912-1954)

My response

Alan Turning, a British mathematician named the father of computer science and AI, broke the Nazi’s ciphers during World War II to help the Allies defeat the Axis (Alan Turing, 2024). Turing viewed the concept of intelligence as emotional (Turing test, 2024). The Turing proof concluded that some mathematical questions cannot be answered (Turing’s proof, 2024).

ChatGPT – Prompt: “Who was Alan Turing and how did he view intelligence in 50 words or less”

Alan Turing (1912–1954) was a British mathematician and computer scientist. He viewed intelligence as a universal computation process, proposing the Turing Test to assess machine intelligence. Turing’s work in breaking German Enigma codes during WWII and his contributions to theoretical computer science laid the foundation for modern computing and AI.

John McCarthy (1927-2011)

My response

John McCarthy, a founding father of AI, was an American computer scientist and Stanford professor. He formally introduced the term “artificial intelligence”, created AI as a field, and developed the programming language Lisp (John McCarthy, 2023). He believed there is no difference between human and machine tasks (Crawford, 2021).

ChatGPT – Prompt: “Who was John McCarthy and how did he view intelligence in 50 words or less”

John McCarthy (1927–2011) was an American computer scientist and AI pioneer. He coined the term “artificial intelligence” and viewed intelligence as computational problem-solving. McCarthy contributed to early AI systems and the development of the programming language LISP. His work focused on creating machines capable of general problem-solving and learning.

Herb Simon (1916-2001)

My response:

Herb Simon was an American political scientist and one of the founding fathers of AI. He was famous for his views on decision-making which he believed was a crucial part of intelligence (UBS, n.d.). Simon proposed that machines could have emotional cognition which was mostly ignored then eventually became influential (Herbert Simon, 2024).

ChatGPT – Prompt: “Who was Herb Simon and how did he view intelligence in 50 words or less”

Herbert A. Simon (1916–2001) was an American economist, cognitive psychologist, and Nobel laureate. He viewed intelligence as bounded rationality, emphasizing that human decision-making is constrained by limited information and cognitive resources. Simon’s work laid the groundwork for behavioral economics and influenced the study of artificial intelligence and cognitive science.

Marvin Minsky (1927-2016)

My response:

Marvin Minsky was an American cognitive and computer scientist who believed machines can think and intelligence in humans and computers is equal (Chollet, 2019; Crawford, 2021). He co-developed the Logo “turtle” and the Society of Mind theory with Seymour Papert that explains how intelligence is task-focused and is a product of interacting components (Chollet, 2019; Marvin Minsky, 2024).

ChatGPT – Prompt: “Who was Marvin Minsky and how did he view intelligence in 50 words or less”

Marvin Minsky (1927–2016), a pioneering AI researcher, viewed intelligence as a collection of interconnected processes, emphasizing the role of perception, learning, and problem-solving. Co-founder of MIT’s AI Lab, Minsky explored the idea of “frames” and “agents” in AI, contributing to the understanding of complex cognitive functions and machine learning.

Timnit Gebru (1982)

My response:

Timnit Gebru is an Ethiopian-born computer scientist who researches AI, biases in AI, and data mining. She advocates for ethical uses of AI and diversity in technology. Gebru was fired from Google after criticising their biased AI work. Gebru views intelligence as diverse and should benefit all humans (Al Jazeera English, 2022).

ChatGPT – Prompt: “Who is Timnit Gebru and how does she view intelligence in 50 words or less”

Timnit Gebru is an Ethiopian-American computer scientist known for her work in artificial intelligence ethics and bias. She co-authored influential research on bias in facial recognition technology. Gebru advocates for ethical AI development and has been an influential voice in addressing issues of fairness, accountability, and transparency in AI systems.

2. How do “machine (programming) languages” differ from human (natural) ones? (~100 words).

My response:

Machine and human languages are both systems of communication. Human languages are ever-evolving and help us interact with others. Humans are generally better than computers at discerning meaning by using context and inferences (Jones, 2019, p. 27). Natural languages, like English, evolve over time and can be spoken or written, and even include gestures (Language, 2024). Machine languages differ from human languages because they are special languages built on algorithms and are executable (Galloway, 2009, as cited in Jones, 2019). Machine languages are a set of sequential instructions that tell the computer’s CPU what to do (Machine code, 2023). Machine languages are built by humans and they only understand what humans tell them to understand.

ChatGPT: How do “machine (programming) languages” differ from human (natural) ones? (~100 words).

Machine (programming) languages and human (natural) languages differ fundamentally in their purpose and structure. Machine languages, such as Python or C++, are designed for computers to execute specific instructions, focusing on precision and efficiency. They use syntax and logic tailored for programming tasks. In contrast, human languages, like English or Spanish, serve communication between people and encompass diverse nuances, emotions, and abstract concepts. Human languages are expressive and context-dependent, emphasizing the richness of communication, while machine languages prioritize clarity and exactness for computers to interpret and execute instructions accurately (OpenAI, 2023).

3. How does “machine (artificial) intelligence” differ from the human version? (~100 words).

My response:

Many attempts have been made to define intelligence yet it has been difficult to develop one definitive definition (Chollet, 2019). Chollet (2019) discusses how intelligence can be perceived as task-specific skills or a general learning ability, then uses Algorithmic Information Theory to propose a new definition of intelligence. Human intelligence uses pragmatics to make sense of situations (Jones, 2020). Machine intelligence follows the instructions that humans have programmed it with the hopes of mimicking human intelligence and can recognize patterns that humans do not have the capacity to process, as we saw in the large amounts of data analyzed with the Cambridge Analytica example of “pragmatics on steroids” (Jones, 2020).

ChatGPT – Prompt: How does “machine (artificial) intelligence” differ from the human version? (~100 words).

Machine (artificial) intelligence differs from human intelligence in several key aspects. While artificial intelligence (AI) excels at specific tasks through programmed algorithms and data analysis, it lacks the depth and breadth of human intelligence. Human intelligence encompasses emotional understanding, creativity, social awareness, and complex problem-solving, whereas AI is task-oriented and lacks genuine consciousness. Human intelligence is dynamic, adaptable, and driven by consciousness, self-awareness, and subjective experiences, which remain elusive in artificial intelligence. While AI can perform specific tasks efficiently, it falls short of replicating the holistic and multifaceted nature of human intelligence (OpenAI, 2023).

4. How does “machine learning” differ from human learning? (~100 words) 

My response:

As we learned in ETEC 512, there is no best or correct theory that can account for all aspects of human learning – human learning is complex and is based on many factors such as biology, prior experiences, and sensory input. Human learning uses intelligence that can be used to program machine learning through using data and models. Machine learning is a branch of AI where machines can learn to process data without explicit instructions using algorithms and they can “learn” to generalize in novel situations as they are exposed to more data over time (Machine learning, 2024). 

ChatGPT – Prompt: How does “machine learning” differ from human learning? (~100 words)

Machine learning and human learning differ in their processes and origins. Machine learning involves algorithms and computational models that enable computers to improve their performance on a task through experience or data. It relies on statistical patterns and mathematical optimization. In contrast, human learning is a complex, multifaceted process that involves cognitive, emotional, and sensory aspects. Humans can generalize knowledge, apply intuition, and learn from a wide range of experiences, adapting to new situations with flexibility and creativity. While both involve learning from data, the mechanisms and scope of machine learning and human learning are distinct. (OpenAI, 2023)

5. And for your LAST challenge, a version of the Turing Test: how do YOUR answers to these questions differ from what a machine could generate? make sure you reference the specific differences between your answers and ChatGPT’s. (~200 words)

There are many differences between my answers to the above questions and the answers generated by ChatGPT.

First, ChatGPT is fast. ChatGPT took seconds to process in the specified number of words, whereas my answers took many hours of reading, synthesizing, and staying within the word counts.

Second, ChatGPT did not provide references to its sources of information, whereas my answers have citations. I pulled together references using APA formatting from the course readings whereas ChatGPT did not use the specified readings, nor do I have a way of checking for its plagiarism or find the primary source of information to refer to.

Third, ChatGPT does not understand the nuances within the context of this course, the relevance to the MET program, or to the fields of Educational Technology.

Lastly, ChatGPT does not factor in the rubric as provided by our ETEC 511 professor which is a personally relevant consideration in this assignment.

The end result is that these answers are not that different from each other but I do hope my answers come across as more “human” as they are based on my personal reflections, experiences, and the nuanced expectations of this course.

References

Al Jazeera English. (2022, August 5). Timnit Gebru: Is AI racist and antidemocratic? | Talk to Al Jazeera [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vUJVzIdRSnQ

Alan Turing. (2024, January 19). In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alan_Turing

Biography. (2020, July 22). Alan Turing. https://www.biography.com/scientists/alan-turing

OpenAI. (2023). ChatGPT (Mar 14 version) [Large language model]. https://chat.openai.com/chat

Chollet, F. (2019, November 5). On the measure of intelligence.

Crawford, K. (2021). Atlas of AI. Yale University Press. (Introduction: pp. 1-21)

Herbert A. Simon. (2024, January 23). In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herbert_A._Simon

John McCarthy (computer scientist). (2023, December 5). In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_McCarthy_(computer_scientist)

Jones, R. H. (2020). The rise of the Pragmatic Web: Implications for rethinking meaning and interaction. In C. Tagg & M. Evans (Eds.), Message and medium: English language practices across old and new media (pp. 17-37). De Gruyter Mouton.

Language. (2024, January 28). In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Language

Machine code. (2023, December 10). In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Machine_code

Machine learning. (2024, January 29). In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Machine_learning

Marvin Minsky. (2024, January 4). In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marvin_Minsky

McCarthy, J. (2007, November 12). What is Artificial Intelligence? https://www-formal.stanford.edu/jmc/whatisai/node1.html

Timnit Gebru. (2024, January 16). In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timnit_Gebru

Turing’s proof. (2024, January 8). In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turing%27s_proof

Turing test. (2024, January 7). In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turing_test

UBS. (n.d). Meet the Nobel Laureates in economics: Do we understand human behaviour? https://www.ubs.com/microsites/nobel-perspectives/en/laureates/herbert-simon.html

ETEC 511 - Group Project Proposal

ETEC 511 – Final Project Group Proposal

Group Project Proposal: “EduConnect” – Technical Support Community for Educators Around the World

Imagine this scenario: You’re teaching a new project this semester and integrating coding into your middle school history class for the first time. Students in your class are making interactive timelines for various ancient civilizations in Scratch. While generally you troubleshoot along with your students, you’ve run into a problem you just can’t solve on YouTube, and you’d appreciate some understanding on why what you’re doing isn’t working. Unfortunately, you work in a remote school and don’t have knowledgeable co-workers to come to for help. Instead, you log into your EduConnect account, choose ‘I need assistance’, then select ‘Scratch’ from a dropdown list, and hit the ‘Find me help!’ button. Within minutes you’re connected with another educator around the world, who specified their willingness to assist others with coding related troubleshooting. A few minutes of screen sharing later, and your problem is solved!

Sometimes, we just need another human to check in with.

Project Description

EduConnect is a web-based service connecting educators offering or seeking on-demand technical support with educational programs via video and screen sharing, or text chat support. The service is simple to use, free of cost, and is accessed via the internet using a web interface or an app on mobile devices. It seeks to connect educators around the world looking to either give or receive technical support. Educators looking to expand their technical knowledge can request assistance and be paired with educators or mentors who are more experienced using a matchmaking AI system.

Uses and Users

This service is for educational professionals who provide educational services either at a school, academy, or other educational facility. This includes, but not limited to, classroom teachers, professors, tutors, aids, and educational trainers. Educators create an account and indicate what programs they feel competent providing assistance to other educators, or indicate the area they are requesting support for. Each user’s profile includes their areas of technical expertise in specific software, their level of education, areas that they feel comfortable providing support with, languages spoken, geographic location, hours they are available, and options for setting quiet hours. Educators can add certifications they possess such as those offered by Microsoft, Apple, or Google, and can become ambassadors for specific programs. Educators’ profiles are configured upon sign up and updated at any time as their needs and knowledge change. Educators can request help anytime. Educators who are offering support in the requested area will receive a notification via the web page, the app, or an email notification, then can log in to connect with the person needing assistance.

Users choose categories of programs, including LMS (Edsby, Canvas), productivity suites (Google Suite, Microsoft, Apple, etc), design (Adobe, GIMP, etc), video conferencing/communication tools (Zoom, Teams, etc), programming/coding (Scratch, HTML, Java, etc), cloud computing, and operating systems. This list can expand as more educators join to offer or ask for support in other other areas. We can improve usability by having an AI analysis of signup data to help direct the areas of support needed. Machine learning will help to inform future development when educators request support in other areas not yet identified.

Project Rationale

The app “Be My Eyes” was our inspiration for this project, connecting people to provide on-demand assistance. EduConnect will be a useful tool to many educators for several reasons. Educators connect with real humans with backgrounds in education who share similar use cases and educational language. Educators may be more likely to incorporate technologies if they know a community of support is available. Educators who are in remote or rural locations will be able to access timely, remote help without having to travel or pay for expensive professional development. Traditional in school tech support is generally staffed by IT professionals who have in-depth technology backgrounds focused on networking and hardware. This can lead to significant insider outsider contrasts between the tech support and the user (Woolgar, 1990, p. 71), and a blindspot when it comes to how various applications, programs and devices are being used by teachers. Conventional technical support can be time-delayed or unhelpful and often from people who most likely do not have experience as an educator. Using teachers who have lived experiences using these applications provides relevant support, harnessing the power of what Pierre Lévy calls “collective intelligence”. We cannot all know everything, but between all educators we have significant, and highly relevant pools of resource and skill to share (Jenkins, 2006, p. 4).

Assessing Usability

The usability of EduConnect is critical as there are two main zones: for those seeking and those providing tech support. Therefore, it is essential that the users of the app can navigate these two uses with ease. This makes it especially important that the service is designed with Woolgar’s (1990) ideas on configuring the user, as well as utilizing Issa and Isaias’s (2015) user-centred approach on usability through performance and preference measures in mind.

Drawing up Woolgar’s (1990) view of usability, our digital tool will rely on the need of configuring the user to learn how to use various components of the tool. Clear and concise instructions are provided to users through an onboarding tutorial in which users go through the process of making a first call, inspired by Gee’s concepts of fish tanks, the controlled, safe space where learners can explore and learn without being overwhelmed by too many options or challenges at once (2005, p. 12). Other support can include video tutorials, as well as peripheral instructions that users access upon signing up for the service.

This data will be collected through user surveys collected at the end of a call. Additional usability data will be collected when users sign-up. As we identify common areas of technology support that need addressing through user sign-up, additional areas of focus can be added to the service.

Usability Specifications

Issa and Isaias (2015) identify that usability specification defines “the measure of success of a computer system of a website and serves as an indicator about whether or not the development of the website is on the right track” (p. 33). Issa & Isaias identify two components of human and computer interaction. This includes the relationship and interactions between human and computer, with the goal of seamless input/output between the two. The EduConnect service will utilize both performance measures and preference measures throughout development. EduConnect will utilize the usability criteria as outlined by Issa and Isaias (2015, p. 33). Information regarding learnability, flexibility, robustness, efficiency, memorability, errors, and satisfaction will be collected from end-users to assist us as a project development team identify areas within the service that need to be addressed.

Performance Measures

 A selection of beta users within the program will allow for testing of EduConnect’s usability. This could include educational professionals who are asked to complete specific tasks such as initiating a help session. It would be valuable to analyze the guidance required within the specific group of users. In addition, specific usability metrics such as tracking how much time a task takes to troubleshoot, as well as users rating the troubleshooting experience will help identify specific user-centered improvements on the application.

Preference Measures

The utilization of focus groups will aid in determining EduConnect’s usability. This will allow for the analysis of open-ended questions, and seek feedback on key principles such as learnability, robustness, efficiency, memorability and satisfaction within the service. This will be essential throughout the development of EduConnect. Ongoing user surveys will also be collected throughout development and release. At the end of each help session, users will be prompted to give a rating on the quality of their call and if they are satisfied with the help they received. The feedback received from this information will be used for future updates and enhancements to the EduConnect software.

Educational Usability

While utilizing EduConnect in an educational setting our goal involves streamlining processes for educational professionals to increase efficiency. It is imperative that the end-user stays at the forefront within our design process. Issa and Isaias (2015) emphasize importance on system design being user-centred. Therefore, it is critical EduConnect considers a variety of learning theories. We believe that EduConnect has a strong connection to both connectivism, and social learning theory. Furthermore, within educational settings we need to be mindful of user data and privacy. Although EduConnect is primarily licensed for educational professionals, student data and information could be shared within our service. It is crucial that EduConnect is compliant with various student data privacy agreements in various locations in the world.

Connectivism

EduConnect relies on the connectivism theoretical framework for learning. Connectivism relies on the connection with the digital world to make choices about our learning. This is through “connecting specialized information sets, and the connections that enable us to learn more are more important than our current state of knowing” (Siemens, 2005, p. 5). Furthermore, connectivism relies on the connection of a series of nodes or information sources (Bates, 2019). Through EduConnect our users are interconnected with other users. This results in information flows through diverse inter-connected networks allowing users to grow and develop in connected ways.

Social Learning Theory

Social learning theory coined by Bandura includes “observing, modeling, and imitating the behaviours, attitudes, and emotional reactions of others” (McLeod, 2023). EduConnect relies heavily on the factors of social learning theory. These include attention, retention, motor reproduction, and motivation (Bandura & Walters, 1963 as cited in McLeod, 2023). The design of EduConnect takes into consideration how to enhance all these crucial factors of social learning theory.

Conclusion

Let’s go back to our initial scenario: Over the past year, you’ve appreciated knowing that you always have access to a knowledgeable other, and have reached out to troubleshoot multiple issues. The process was so quick and helpful, that you offer to provide your assistance for educators working in Canva School, and every now and then you get a notification during the times you have stated availability from another educator who needs some guidance. Sometimes it’s just people who need help sharing. Other times it’s a more advanced request.  Most importantly you know that when you need help there’s always another educator willing to help!

Ultimately, this is our vision for EduConnect. A collectivist platform that harnesses the power of our shared intelligence, creating a community of mentorship, with intuitive design that guides users towards seamless collaboration and knowledge sharing. In the attached appendix you will find several wireframes of our interface as a sneak peak for what is to come next.

Figure 1

Examples of EduConnect wireframes

References

Bates, A. W. (Tony). (2019). Teaching in a digital age – second edition. In pressbooks.bccampus.ca. Tony Bates Associates Ltd. https://pressbooks.bccampus.ca/teachinginadigitalagev2

Gee, J. P. (2005). Learning by design: Good video games as learning machines. E-Learning and Digital Media, 2(1), 5–16. https://doi.org/10.2304/elea.2005.2.1.5

Issa, T., & Isaias, P. (2015). Usability and human computer interaction (HCI). In Sustainable Design (pp. 19-35). Springer.

Jenkins, H. (2006). Convergence culture: Where old and new media collide. New York University Press.

McLeod, S. (2023, October 24). Albert Bandura’s social learning theory. Simply Psychology. https://www.simplypsychology.org/bandura.html

Siemens, G. (2005) Connectivism: a theory for the digital age International Journal of Instructional Technology and Distance Learning, Vol. 2, No. 1.

Woolgar, S. (1990). Configuring the user: The case of usability trials. The Sociological Review, 38(1, Suppl.), S58-S99.